Alex, 15-year-old from Cherkasy, Ukraine. He had to flee the dangers of the war together with his mother and his younger brother. (source: UNICEF/UN0687440/Raica)
This is the second World Refugee Day away from Ukraine for many children and adolescents who have fled the war to Slovakia and across Europe.
More than 15 months of displacement, destruction, worries about loved ones, uncertainty and struggles. And the recent events in Ukraine demonstrate that the situation there remains uncertain and volatile, but in neighbouring countries, for many Ukrainians, displacement is no longer a temporary feature.
In UNICEF and in the humanitarian sector we talk a lot about needs. When I was in Ukraine during the first months of the war, much of the needs we dealt with were basic: children needed food, water, warm clothes and shelter.
In Slovakia, 481 days after the first air raid sirens were heard over Kyiv, needs are very different from what they were when Ukrainians first arrived. Many Ukrainian children have attended online school not only since February 2022, but for over three years (since the pandemic first took hold of our lives). They are not only missing out on learning, but they are desperate to be together with their friends again.
Many adolescents also go through a very hard time – they tell us they feel very isolated and cannot find peace or connection with others. And adults also struggle – the mom of a child with a disability, for instance, is dependent on cash assistance because caring for her child means she cannot get a job.
The need to rebuild your life
Many readers of this blog will be familiar with this sentiment. Recall the moment you arrived in a foreign country – far from your home, family, and your normal way of life, unable to communicate in the local language, it's easy to feel adrift. Over time, we strive to integrate by finding a stable place to live, establishing friendships, and pursuing activities we enjoy. However, many Ukrainians still face struggles.
In UNICEF, we understand that supporting children and adolescents entails more than just providing food and coordinating therapy sessions with psychologists. Sometimes, children simply need distractions from their traumatic experiences, opportunities for social interaction, and, most importantly, the chance to make friends – including Slovak friends. Ultimately, the key to inclusion lies in connecting with others. This is why we support community centers, dance classes, sports, and events filled with games and enjoyable activities.
And some are branching out into new or rediscovered hobbies. A few months ago, we collaborated with Ukrainian teenagers to stage a theater play for International Women's Day. Seeing them on stage, channeling the horrors they lived through so powerfully and beautifully, was incredibly moving.
The need to fulfil your potential
A couple of weeks ago in Prešov, we encountered a young Ukrainian actress who currently works as a hairdresser in a theater. While she holds a job, she asserts that her true calling is to be on stage.
This story captures something incredibly important: the need to fulfil your potential and to pursue your dreams, no matter your situation. Ukrainian children, adolescents, young people and even adults don’t need to be told what they need and to be happy with it once the need is addressed. They need the opportunity to express their needs. And it is our responsibility to listen and do our best to support their aspirations.
The need for hope
The destruction of the Kakhovka dam is the latest of a series of horrendous events in this war. We hear so often about 15-year-olds that are unable to cope because they spend their whole days watching the news in an effort to understand who among their loved ones is in danger.
The children of Ukraine need to find solace, they need to be able to rebuild their lives and fulfil their potential to get a glimpse of normality back in their lives, but true normality will not come until war still rages in Ukraine. Above all else, the children of Ukraine need peace.
